Ever since the pioneers arrived, Big
Cottonwood Canyon
has been the place where Salt Lake City
folks have gone to enjoy summer breezes. Now there's even more reason to drive
up the canyon.

In addition to the art gallery at Brighton
and the free Sunday concerts at Solitude, there are geology talks and tours and
star gazing parties. It's called the Brighton Institute and it's brand new.

The Brighton gallery
features paintings, pastels, pottery and basketry from artists who live in the
canyon or have close ties to it. Talent oozes out of them.

Artist include a full time artist, two university
professors, a retired Brighton official, the Brighton ski school director and
the Brighton ski school training director. Most of the artists are also powder
hounds.

"When it's a powder day, I ski before I work in my
studio," said full time pastel artist Carolyn Keigley. whose work exerts
the energy and beauty of the mountains.

The gallery is located in the Brighton Store – the log
building at the start of the Brighton loop.

There's also music on the mountain. Solitude hosts free
concerts from 3 to 6 p.m. every Sunday. Bring a chair, but please no food or
drink. Snacks are available there.

And you can "rock on" with a geology talk or tour
based at Solitude. And there are star parties.

"We're trying to show there's culture in the
canyon," said Steve Jorgensen, a retired ski pro who helped spearhead the
consortium called the Brighton Institute.

More programs are in the planning
stages, but the founders want to get this summer's programs rolling. "Nobody
knows we're here yet," said Jorgensen.